Mike Kuhn - March 2021 Update

Mike Kuhn currently serves in the International Theological Education Network as a specialist and consultant. Mike’s ministry focus is discipleship and spiritual formation among both Arab Christians and those who have come to Christ from a non-Christian background. Read more about Mike’s work in the following update:

Greetings, friends!

Steph and I are grateful for your concern and prayers for us. Here are a few items that occupy our prayers over the next months. Thanks for sharing with us in your prayers.

As we feel the COVID cloud beginning to lift, opportunities for travel and ministry are becoming frequent. I spoke recently in Memphis, TN, and Ephrata WA. We hope that international travel will return soon.

Pars Theological Center - February 2021 Update

Pars Theological Center is a London-based virtual seminary that uses the internet, IT technology, satellite TV, and conferences to deliver Farsi-language theological training to Iranian Christians both inside and outside Iran. Classes are taught by well-known Iranian pastors, Bible teachers, and theological instructors including Rev. Dr. Sasan Tavassoli, Coordinator of Iranian Ministries for The Outreach Foundation. Students are mentored by the Pars team on how to integrate the principles they are learning into their ministry and personal spiritual lives. Pars also includes a Christian Counseling Center. We recently received the following from Pars Executive Director Rev. Dr. Mehrdad Fatehi:

Refugee Appeal - February 2021 Update

…as you have done it for the least of these, you have done it for me…

Since December of 2015, The Outreach Foundation has been a partner with a “hands-on” outreach in Lebanon that helps Syrian refugee mothers care for their newborns. Together, For the Family (TFF), led by its Executive Director, Izdihar Kassis, started this ministry upon realizing the dire need of parents to care for their newborn babies while living in tent camps.

Izdihar shares this reflection:

The poor living conditions and the inability of the parents to provide basic necessities for their newborn babies motivated us to address this matter.

Syria Lebanon Partnership - February 2021 Update

Children of the World

On several visits to Aleppo during the war, my teams and I would be taken across the street from the Presbyterian Church and shown through a dingy old apartment for which the congregation had a shining vision: open a clinic where low-cost healthcare could be provided to the neighborhood, regardless of the ability of someone to pay the fees. It seemed like a longshot, given the realities of the war and depressed economy of Syria, but Outreach supplied some funds to help its startup. Despite our doubts, God has blessed this ministry and it is now running at “full throttle” and providing hope and healing in Christ’s name! The faces here are some of those who have been served at the Children of the Word Medical Center.

Recently, the Rev Joseph Kassab, General Secretary of the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon shared an assessment of this now vital ministry…

Middle East, Partnership, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationFebruary 8, 2021Syria Lebanon Partnership, Syria Appeal, Syria

Bethlehem Bible College - February 2021 Update

Bethlehem Bible College (BBC) is an evangelical, inter-denominational Bible College in Palestine where students can study and serve in their native land. Students Nahida Sleibi and Marsail Al-Jilda share their stories here:

Nahida Sleibi

I thank God with all my heart for the blessing he has bestowed upon me, so that I may grow in his love, gain more knowledge in his holy word, and draw closer to his divine mercy day after day. I also thank Bethlehem Bible College for opening the way for me to study and delve deeper into the Bible and the Word of God, which will enable and qualify me for Christian ministry in my community.

This past fall, the last semester before submitting my master’s thesis, I studied two subjects. The first was Pastoral Care and Counseling, which added a lot to my knowledge, especially in Christian guidance and methods of counseling for people in need, by telling them they are loved by God and they are created in his image and likeness. This course also contributed to the development of the necessary skills that I must possess, such as the art of good listening, which will help enable me to serve in the church. It is important for us to reflect love and unity with each other, to be witnesses of the love of Christ, and to convey salvation to every needy and seeking person that God puts in our way.

Middle East, Partnership, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationFebruary 4, 2021Bethlehem Bible College, Israel, Palestine

Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo - February 2021 Update

The Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo (ETSC) trains over 300 students each year to serve the Church in Egypt and beyond. Students serve as pastors, church planters, elders, and teachers in churches across Egypt and the entire region. Ekram Atta graduated from ETSC in 2013, here is his story:

Ekram Atta: God’s Weak Jar

It is said that one of Martin Luther’s teachers would bow to his students before each class because he said he did not know which of his students would rise to prominence. Likewise, no one knows what God will do with the lives of the students who come to the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo.

They come with their aspirations for ministry and the gift matrix given them by God, but who is to say which of them will have the greatest impact on the kingdom of God? More than a decade ago Ekram Atta came to the seminary from a village in South Egypt, bearing a calling born from his own grief and experience of grace following the death of his mother. Seeking comfort for his pain, he discovered the grace that would allow him to strengthen others.

New Church Development in Egypt - January 2021 Update

With 20 million people, Cairo is the largest city in the Middle East and is home to 20% of the population of Egypt. It is growing at a rate of over 2% a year which doesn’t sound like much until you “do the math” - that means that Cairo adds over 400,000 people each year. Or think of it this way: each year, Cairo adds the equivalent of a Tulsa or a New Orleans. Every year. These new residents come from other (often rural) parts of Egypt, hoping to find better jobs and better schools for their children. They end up living in “suburbs/extensions” of Cairo which are makeshift and ramshackle communities often with poor roads, dense apartment complexes, and few available services.

In the last 20 years, the Church of Egypt recognized the importance of planting churches in these new communities. Planting a church is not a luxury or an extra place for people to only practice spiritual activities like worship and Bible study. The new church is a place of enlightenment, services, and refuge for many people.

An established congregation in Ain Shams, located in the northern part of Cairo, adopted a vision of planting new churches in some of these new communities. It is one of the churches that recognized the call to go out and spread the message of salvation and hope. Pastor Eid Salah and elders from the church are eager for evangelism and church planting.

Beirut Compassion Fund Update

In the aftermath of the August 4 explosion at the port of Beirut, your generous gifts have helped our partners to, literally, put things back together again in their places of learning like the Near East School of Theology (seminary training Presbyterian pastors), , Blessed School (for autistic children), Philemon Preschool (for low-income kids) and Haigazian University (Armenian Evangelical) which has provided this video update:

Middle EastThe Outreach FoundationJanuary 5, 2021Beirut Compassion Fund

Philemon Project Preschool - December 2020 Update

On behalf of the entire Philemon Project team – thank you! Thank you for your partnership and support. And a special thank you to all who helped us with the August 4th explosion's aftermath. Without your faithful support, we could not carry out our ministry to the least of these in Lebanon.

The Explosion

On August 4th, 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate stored at warehouse 12 at the port in Beirut exploded, causing at least 204 deaths, 6,500 injuries, and an estimated 15 billion dollars in property damage. The explosion also left an estimated 300,000 people homeless. Experts consider this to be one of the most powerful non-nuclear explosions in history. The Philemon Project's GROW Center is 1.4 miles away from the blast site and suffered significant damage. Windows and doors were blown out, walls cracked, AC damaged, electrical, and even plumbing lines were affected. Glass and debris ruined many children's toys and furnishings.

Beirut Compassion Fund - December 2020 Update

In the aftermath of the August 4 explosion at the port of Beirut, your generous gifts have helped our partners to, literally, put things back together again in their places of learning like the Near East School of Theology (seminary training Presbyterian pastors), Haigazian University (Armenian Evangelical), Blessed School (for autistic children) and Philemon Preschool (for low-income kids). Repairs were made in the church sanctuaries of Rabieh Church (Presbyterian) and the National Evangelical Church (Presbyterian/Congregational), within sight of the port. Grants to ministries that serve refugees (Our Lady Dispensary and Together for the Family) provided a lifeline for those who were already living “on the edge.”

Middle East, Partnership, Important NewsThe Outreach FoundationDecember 17, 2020Beirut, Beirut Compassion Fund, Lebanon

Refugee Appeal - December 2020 Update

…an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him. Mathew 2:13

With a global pandemic raging, they no longer get front-page billing. But in this Christmas season, it is well worth remembering that the Babe born in Bethlehem was one, for a time: a refugee.

These refugees whom The Outreach Foundation has served since 2012 and whom you have supported, came into Lebanon from Syria during the long war and from Iraq, beginning in 2014 because of ISIS. They have been cared for by our partners in tender, life-giving ways. Here is one of their stories…

Syria Lebanon Partnership - December 2020 Update

Arise, shine, for your light has come,

and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.

Isaiah 60:1

It is close to impossible, for many of us, to read this opening verse from Isaiah 60 and NOT hear Handel’s “Messiah” with its light and lilting chorus repeating those words in response to the alto’s aria of “Oh Thou That Tellest Good Tidings to Zion”. [For all you choristers, I just implanted an “earworm” -- you’re welcome!]

Standing alone, the verse seems carefree, hopeful, and almost breezy, doesn’t it? But then the following verse grounds us in the context:

See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples…

Middle EastThe Outreach FoundationDecember 10, 2020Syria Lebanon Partnership, Syria Appeal

Iraq Appeal - December 2020 Update

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1: 5

In this very dark year which has been 2020, one of the “darker” places, from my perspective, has been Iraq where The Outreach Foundation has partnered, for many years, with the three remaining Presbyterian congregations (Baghdad, Basrah, and Kirkuk.) Your gifts, over the years, have sustained the witness of the Church in a place that has, too many times, approached the verge of being declared a “failed state.”

A year ago (October 2019) I led a small Outreach Foundation team back to Iraq to be with our Presbyterian family there – to be “mutually encouraged by one another’s faith” (Romans 1: 12). And, indeed, we were! Of all the days we spent, none was more impactful than a trip we made to a now-deserted Mosul, the once-thriving, second-largest city which had been laid waste by ISIS and then by the military campaign to retake it from ISIS. We wanted to see what, if anything, remained of the tiny, historic (1840) Presbyterian Church, located deep in the old city.

Middle EastThe Outreach FoundationDecember 2, 2020Iraq Appeal

Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo - November Update

Students Entrust Their Hope and Dreams to ETSC

I continue to be amazed and grateful at the growth of the ETSC student body, as 509 students have enrolled in nine different degree and certificate programs. This year will have a different feel about it, however, as we will not have the pleasure of face to face interaction with students. Once more classes continue to be taught through our online distance learning platform for the fall term. Candidly, I will miss seeing them walking across campus and meeting them in chapel, as well as teaching some of them in class. Nevertheless, I give thanks for their willingness to invest in themselves and their preparation for ministry. Perhaps no greater compliment can be paid to us as a seminary than that these young men and women are entrusting their training to our leadership.

We received applications from 257 young men and women, of whom we accepted 148 for the fall term. The online platform has enabled students to enroll from virtually every part of Egypt and most of the Middle Eastern countries,

Middle East, Partnership, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationNovember 10, 2020Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo, Egypt

Palestinian Bible Society - Update

The Palestinian Bible Society (PBS), registered with the United Bible Societies, is committed to making the Word of God available to Palestinians in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. The PBS ministry also includes children’s programs, vocational training projects, and leadership development. Nashat Filmon, General Director, shared a recent update:

Community Care-Jenin and Beyond
In July, the Palestinian Bible Society welcomed to its Zebabdeh office the governor of Jenin, the town’s mayor, and the pastor of a local church. The meeting launched a campaign to distribute masks and sanitizing materials around the governorate. The governor thanked PBS for this initiative, and those present then distributed masks in the town. PBS is also distributing food and other basic supplies throughout the country, including the Gaza strip, to help those in need because of the pandemic.

Middle East, Partnership, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationNovember 4, 2020Palestinian Bible Society, Palestine, Israel

Syria and Lebanon Partnership

I remember you in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you. (Romans 1:9c-10)

In looking through a travel journal from 2015 I paused to see this Scripture there. That trip was centered around the annual women’s conference that is put on by the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon (NESSL) at their retreat center in Dhour Choiuer in the mountains of Lebanon. It was filled with reunions: Americans with their Lebanese and Syrian sisters. Syrian women with each other in the midst of war. A Syrian mother from Homs with her two sons who worked at the center. Extraordinary, emotional, uplifting moments of reunion.

Middle EastThe Outreach FoundationOctober 22, 2020Syria Lebanon Partnership, Syria Appeal

New Church Development in Egypt - October 2020 Update

Luxor: An Old Church is Destroyed…and a New One Arises

American Presbyterian missionaries came to Egypt in 1854. They sailed the Nile to share the Gospel, and in 1907 a Presbyterian Church was established in Luxor, the site of ancient pharaonic temples across the river from the Valley of the Kings.

For more than 112 years, this place was a witness for the Gospel and reached out to many villages around the city. In 2012, the Egyptian government decided to renovate the Avenue of the Sphinxes that joins Luxor Temple with Karnak Temple. That Avenue went underneath the Presbyterian church, part of the Presbyterian school, and some other nearby buildings and so the government ordered their removal.

Middle East, Partnership, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationOctober 14, 2020New Church Development in Egypt, Egypt, Luxor

Vulnerable Children's Fund-October Update

Established in 1998 as a shelter for street children, Home of Hope in Beirut is under the governance of the Lebanese Evangelical Society. They now serve children between the ages of 7 and 18 who have been exposed to abuse by their primary caregivers or by members of their community and are at risk. The children are brought to Home of Hope upon a judicial order and with a protection file.

Raghida Al Assal has been the Executive Director for three years and shares this: Our purpose at Home of Hope is to help the children heal through Jesus Christ. Even though 99% of our children come from non-Christian backgrounds, they attend a weekly chapel at the home.

Partner Updates